Hell hath no fury like a Woman Scorned
by Gintsuki of the Rain
Summary: Sasuke isn't a traitor, he was undercover. However, because only he and the Hokage knew, Sakura was still scorned. She has gone entirely EMO, and she hates Sasuke. Can he make her love him? Full Sum inside, I suck at this, and it WILL be SasuSaku I SWEAR!
1. Waking up in the Hospital

_**Hell hath no fury like a Woman scorned!**_

A/N: Okay. I know I should be updating instead of starting new projects. BUT THIS WAS POUNDING ON THE INSIDE OF MY HEAD AND GIVING ME A MIGRANE! So obviously I had to let it out.

_**Summary...**_

Takes place six years after the death of Danzo. Sakura is scorned, and cold hearted. Naruto is Naruto and probly gonna be that retard you see I movies, and ask yourself over and over 'are ppls really that stupid?' well I hope not! Kakashi is Hokage, perverted, and 30, instead of 42. Sasuke was secretly on a mission to infiltrate Sound, then Akatsuki in order to kill both leaders, meaning we wasn't actually a missing nin. And he killed Kabuto as a bonus, he was recently retrieved by Neji's ANBU squad on the very brink of death after killing Madara. However, breaking Sakura's heart was never part of the official mission. So she acts like she hates him. Hinata is preggers, and married to the village idiot. Ino is dating Sai, whom is going to be emotional in this one. Tenten and Neji Aren't dating. Because she is too free spirited for his dominating type. Temari is an ambassador to Suna, and practically lives in Konoha, more specifically, Shikamaru's place. ~wink wink~

Raited M for language! just like the rest of them.

Ps: may contain OCs later on, but as of right now none.

PPs: Sasuke's attempt at capturing Killer Bee, was all staged in advance when he sent an encoded message via summons to Konoha, who in turn sent an encoded message to Killer Bee himself, as well as the Raikage. Carry on.

_**Disclaimer...**_

I own the plot, but none of the characters. So without further adieu...

PS: OHEMGEEE! I CAN'T BELIEVE KARIN WASN'T THE BITCH I THOUGHT SHE WAS! So as an FYI, she is also living in Konoha, and has become a very successful medic. ENJOY!

PPS: **UGH! **Can't believe I keep forgetting things. Well you know how I said I don't own any characters? Well if I add any OCs that statement will be invalid, as I will most likely own any OC placed in my fanfic, unless I tell you otherwise. NOW you may continue!

Chapter one...

Waking up in the hospital.

Sasuke's P.O.V

I awoke in the hospital. I guessed from the machinery I had been here more than a few days. Maybe even a few weeks. I got up and decided to stretch my legs a bit. I had walked to the end of my bed, intent on sitting by the window, until my medical chart caught my eye. I snatched it, and read to find out that I had indeed been unconscious in Konoha hospital for two weeks now. But what surprised me slightly was that my surgeon and current acting Doctor, was Haruno Sakura. 'Sakura? Team 7s Sakura? The weak pink haired, fan-girl, crybaby Sakura?' I contemplated, well she HAD become a medic, and as far as I know surpassed the late fifth Hokage. So logically it _could_ be possible. 'Nahh!' I thought smirking, couldn't be the same person, she's impossible.

Just then the door opened, and in stepped none other than the Fifth's apprentice, and walking behind her, a timid looking medic I vaguely recognized. Sakura nodded to the girl, who in turn motioned that I should sit on the bed for my routine checkup. Sakura checked all of my vitals, and scribbled down random medical notes on her clip board. "All vitals are checking out, but the patients' chakra is still out of order, you should make sure he stays in the hospital, and check his condition regularly until it calms down. Now then Karin-chan, if you will please sign here, he is your patient now. Under your order." Sakura spoke in an emotionless tone, one I had only ever heard come from myself, or my brother. As she handed the clip board over to… '_KARIN?_' I quickly looked her over, her hair had grown out, no longer did she wear it half short, half long, but neatly cut and it hung in a low pony tail to around her mid thigh. And she had ditched her glasses for tinted contacts that made her eyes appear to be purple. I then turned my attention back to Sakura. Pink hair same, although it could rival Ino's in length now. Cream colored skin, body to kill for, that was new. I slowly let my eyes work their way up to her face, she no longer resembled a child, she was a full blown woman now. But what caught my attention the most, was her eyes. What was once so expressive, so full of emotion, and so easily read. Was now cold, dull, and blank, Sakura had obviously changed. I was once again suddenly pulled from my thoughts by the sound of her voice, it was once again emotionless, but that wasn't what earned my attention this time. As I stared at her in blatant disbelief, as if urging myself to have heard wrong. "I said how are you feeling Shinobi-san?" No. I realized. I did hear correctly, this wasn't the Sakura I knew, that much was certain. "Only slightly dizzy, and I can't feel my chakra. But I expect you already knew that Dr. Haruno." I answered. "Are you leaving on a mission? Is that why I am switching Doctors'?" she glanced at her paperwork again. "No. Dr. Shinwa will be taking over as your medic upon my request. I am no longer needed in the hospital, and I would like to leave today, instead of waiting another few weeks, or months on one patient, when all that needs tending is paperwork. Now then, as I am your Doctor for the remainder of my shift, is there anything you need Shinobi-san?" she explained. So she was quitting the hospital? That didn't make sense, unless she was moving higher up, as like, a full time ANBU, no that wouldn't make sense either, her hair color would give her away. Maybe she was an active ambassador? No that couldn't be it, could it? "Shinobi-san, what's wrong?" Sakura asked him. Now I was getting downright frustrated. "Sakura. As you have been my acting doctor, I would like to speak to you in private." It was a straight up demand, and although I knew she wouldn't like that very much, I also knew she would do it, because her patient asked her to. "Karin, will you wait outside please?" she asked politely, "I'll do better than that Sakura-sama, I'll finish your rounds for you while you finish up here, then all you'll need to do is sign off, and sign out." Sakura gave the redheaded women a fake/grateful smile, and nodded in thanks. Once Karin's chakra signature had disappeared down the corridor, Sakura turned back to face me. "Now then Shinobi-san, what is it you would like to know?" she asked, while taking a seat near the window, I smirked. "What happened to 'Sasuke-kun'?" I asked her, not to triumphant in the fact that she didn't react to the question at all. "You don't know? You killed him, so it's a curious thing. Hmm." She said, pretending to contemplate. "Cut the crap Sakura. I don't want to talk about business. I already read the medical charts." She glanced at me, before leaning back into her seat, and examining her nails. "Ask whatever you want, Shinobi-san." "Stop calling me that! You know my name, use it!" "As you wish Uchiha-san. Anything else?" I sat back against my bed, knowing she damn well wasn't going to use my first name anytime soon. "How is it Karin came to be a Konoha Medic?" Sakura nodded. "After you ran her through with a variation of chidori, she willingly surrendered to Konoha, and exchanged any and all information she had on you. including the whereabouts of Akatsuki hideouts she had yet to inform you of. You might also like to know, that a lot of the information you received from Naruto, as an encoded argument, was what she was able to learn on her own. She was put on probation and allowed to study as a medic under Shizune and myself. She has even come to surpass Shizune. Any other questions?" "Aren't you happy that I've returned?" I asked her bluntly, smirking at her. She continued to stare through me as if I wasn't even there. "No." I was about to retort and snap back at her, but just then, a nurse came bursting into the room, and screamed that Hyuuga Neji was in ICU, and she was needed immediately. Before I could even glance back towards Sakura, she had disappeared. Leaving the Nurse to finish any work that need be done in my room. She gave me medicine, and told me that I should sleep, because sleeping in a coma, and resting, are apparently completely different.

**TBC**

A/N: Yeah yeah yeah, so hate me. But hey. At least I'm writing SOMETHING! And I beg anyone whom may be upset with me to cut me some slack. Recently a family member of mine has undergone heart surgery, and when they awoke the following day, had a minor heart attack. And won't be released until later next week.

I BEG YOU TO FORGIVE ME!


	2. Coming Home

_Coming Home_

A/N: So as we all know 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' but this next chapter, is dedicated to my BFF's Cousin, who's **DIPSHIT ASSWIPE** of an ex-boyfriend, broke up with her cuz she missed his big game in favor of waiting at the hospital for her grandmother to get out of an emergency heart surgery, because she had a heart attack. So Brian the footballer/egotistical _**BASTARD**_ this is for the girl you're not good enough to have back. SO STOP CALLING HER!

Cuz she's getting you blocked tomorrow. HA! Dipshit! What now?

Ps: I may use this for a NaruHina in the near future. CUZ SHE SAID I COULD!

Fucking asswipe. HIS NAME IS BRIAN AND HE WAS ONE OF THE NOT SO IMPORTANT PLAYERS ON HIS HIGHSCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM! But unfortunately that's all I know about him, cuz she won't give me his last name for fear I might do something "Rash" and/or "Illegal", pffffttmmmmpft, tchya right… ~bows head~ okay maybe just a little bit. BUT HEY THE JURY WOULD PROBLY ONLY LAUGH IF I CASTRATED HIM!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I obviously have had a lot to think about lately. And no time to write Naruto, which I wouldn't be anyway, cuz I don't own it.

PPS: If you've ever read my one-shot '_Jealousy_' then you would realize that these two stories have something in common, one scorned Haruno. In any case, this idea spurned off from the saying, 'Hell hath no fury like a Woman Scorned.' So I'm kind of making the two stories related. AKA, Uchiha Itachi is alive thxs to Kabuto's reanimation Jutsu, and he's a good guy. Although still going to the hospital regularly.

Sasuke's P.O.V.

It wasn't until a month later when I was released from the hospital, and I was glad to see that Karin had changed drastically as well, after it was explained to her that I never intended to kill her, of course that didn't stop her from holding a grudge, and addressing me as 'Uchiha-san' same as Sakura. It had been a week since I left the hospital, my first order of business being to see the Hokage, and getting reinstated, second order of business being to spend two days training to make sure my reflexes weren't shot entirely to hell, and thirdly to treat Naruto to Ramen and explain to him why I was such an ass. Of course the dobe refused to let me explain anything, knowing I wasn't particularly comfortable with talking about it. And forgave me anyway. So here I was sitting in Ichiraku, three empty ramen bowls in front of me, and a stack in front of my blond best friend. Wondering what I should do next with my three months leave, and a shit load of money. When suddenly Sakura walked into the small store, she looked around, waved at Naruto and then left. I had just opened my mouth to call out to her, when Naruto cut me off. "She won't listen, there's no use going after her." I looked at his serious face, and I was completely dumb struck. I hadn't seen him this serious since six years ago when he'd claimed we were both going to die on the battle field. I sat back down "Why is she like this? She knows I wasn't actually trying to hurt her, right?" he nodded, "She understands your reasons for the success of the mission, but she didn't see how it was necessary to hurt her repeatedly. And don't you dare deny it. You hurt her a whole hell of a lot more than you hurt me! Anyway, its' done now Sasuke, she hates you now, and won't even mention your name anymore. She doesn't avoid it when you're brought up in conversation, she just prefers it if you aren't. She knows you're a hero, and still views you as a traitor. All in all, she's been scorned Sasuke." I thought about this for awhile, "But she can't hate me forever, right? She'll forgive me, wont she?" I asked, not wanting to lose her, she, Naruto, Kakashi sensei, and Itachi were all I had left. "No Sasuke, I'm afraid not." Naruto looked so; well so damn serious it was almost as if this were a genjutsu. So I had to ask. "What do you mean?" he seemed to mull this over in his head for awhile. He shook his head repeatedly as well, and then looked me in the eye. "I think we should see Kakashi about this, I'd much rather have his say in the matter." I stood up, "That's not good enough! Tell me now Naruto." I commanded him, and he sighed. "Sasuke, when Neji's team found you and brought you back, you were on the brink of death. She was the only one who could heal you, and I mean Karin tried her damnedest! But she was only barely able to keep you alive, so when we presented the matter to Sakura…

_**Flash Back…**_

"_**Sakura-chan. He's dying, you're the only one who can save him!" Naruto yelled at her. Kakashi stood not far behind him, waiting for when he may need to step in. "There are other capable medics who can heal him. I'm busy!" she said coolly. "No there isn't, Shizune and Karin are keeping him stable for now, but he may not last much longer unless you get in there and heal him Sakura. He'll die if you don't" Naruto stated sternly. "THEN LET HIM DIE! I WONT DO IT!" she screamed, and started walking away from the hospital. Naruto was frozen at her statement, as Kakashi grabbed her wrist firmly, "Yes you will. That's an order." "No Kakashi, I won't. I refuse to heal that man, let him die!" she wrenched her wrist from his grasp, and once again started walking away. "Sakura-chan…" "Haruno Sakura, you will march into that room, heal Uchiha Sasuke, and save his life. Or you will face treason, and become a rogue Ninja to Konoha!" Kakashi yelled at the woman, with such finality, as to ensure even Naruto, on one of his rampages, wouldn't go against him. She turned, slowly, and faced The Hokage with defiance in her eyes. "I'll heal him if you let me leave." She said no emotion in her voice. "You will heal him, or be arrested. You are not leaving Konoha until your end of the bargain is held up, and Karin can take your place. Now go save him Haruno. That's final." And with that, Kakashi turned and started walking. "You won't label me Kakashi, you don't have it in you." She called to him standing her ground; in an instant Kakashi was standing in front of her, kunai poised at her throat. "You can heal him, and keep your status as a Kunoichi, or I can force you to heal him, and you will disgrace your mentor Tsunade." Faster than Naruto could blink, the kunai was dropped, and Kakashi had been slapped across the face, while Sakura began walking in the direction of the OR area of the hospital, only pausing to say one last thing to Kakashi. "It's one thing to threaten me, but I won't stand for you disrespecting my decisions, and telling me I disappoint Tsunade. I'll heal your Shinobi Kakashi. But know that whether or not Karin is ready, when he approaches me, I will leave this village. With, or without your permission. And if he comes after me," she turned around to face them now, absolutely no emotion in her eyes, and no expression on her face, "I'll kill him myself." And then she was gone.**_

_**End Flash Back.**_

There I stood, frozen in my spot, not believing my ears. Haruno Sakura, the girl who confessed undying love to me the night I left Konoha, had blatantly faced charges of treason on account that I had hurt her to the point where she believed I deserved death. "You two should have let me die." Was all I could say after hearing this. "No Sasuke, she wouldn't have been able to live with herself knowing she could have saved you, and didn't." "But now she's living with the knowledge that I caused her suffering worse than death, and I'm being allowed to roam free. In her eyes, I should be dead." "AND IF YOU WERE SHE'D KILL HERSELF KNOWING YOU COULD HAVE BEEN ALIVE IF NOT FOR HER! Damnit Sasuke, Underneath the underneath! Sakura hates death! She's still grieving Tsunade. She thinks she could have saved her, but she can't come to grasp that there was no way she could be there. It was a fucking battle field, and Tsunade and her were a two days travel away from each other! She wouldn't be able to handle allowing two people to die, believing she had the means of saving them. She would tear herself apart, and lose it." I stood there silently as Naruto finished, letting it all sink in. Madara had killed Tsunade, this much I knew, and at the time, Sakura believed I was with Madara. I was so engrossed in my own thoughts, I didn't even notice Naruto get up, until he had put his hand on my shoulder. "Look, I don't want to get your hopes up. But maybe this will be temporary. The only thing I can think of, is that in order to keep herself from falling to pieces, she needed to throw the guilt elsewhere, and she's probably just blaming you right now. Who knows, in two months she could be blaming me, or Kakashi Sensei. But you need to let her go for right now. If she wants to avoid you, let her. Allow her to heal in her own way. And maybe she'll start to open up again." I couldn't argue with his logic, so I nodded. And then he paid the man, knowing full well I could have done so, and started walking. "Naruto." I called to him, getting ready to leave as well, he looked back to me. "When does she leave?" his face fell again, "At the rate Karin has been training, and with her being a fast learner, I'd say she only has about three, or four months of training with Sakura left. And then Sakura is gone." He didn't offer anything else as he just left.

I was walking back to my compound, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. "So how are you getting by little brother?" Itachi asked me, a sort of knowing in his eyes, "I thought I sensed you outside the restaurant. You do realize that was a personal conversation, don't you?" he smiled, "Of course I do, but what kind of brother would I be if I weren't concerned about my Otouto?" he tried to joke. "The dead kind." I shot back, not really in the mood for laughing. "I talked to her today, she's still working as my doctor." "Why would she be working as your do…" "Shinwa Karin refused to take me on as a patient, she said something like I gave her the creeps. Same for Miss Shizune. However your friend Haruno, she just looks right through me." "Yeah, she uh. Doesn't really care for Uchiha anymore." I tried to explain. "I understand that. Did you know that her eyes are quite expressive?" I nodded, "Yeah, they were." "Are." My brother corrected. "Need I quote the Hokage, you need to look underneath little brother. You see, her eyes may look blank, but that is a wall she puts at the fore front. She isn't particularly easy to read. But it can be done." I stared at him, once again dumb struck, and this must have been at least the third time today. It seems everything shocked me today. "H-how did you figure this out Itachi?" "I mentioned that the fifth Hokage must be immensely proud of her, if she was willing to set aside her personal hatred against you, to save your life." I cringed, knowing full well, that Itachi now knew the whole story. "She replied blankly, that her shishou would be greatly displeased with her if she could have seen the real reason for healing you. Now mind you Sasuke, this was before I heard you at Ichiraku. However, for anyone who hasn't had to live a solitary life, her eyes would have been professional, and blank, but I could see pain, and agony. The Uzumaki is right, she is suffering. But she would be willing to talk to the right person."

My head was spinning by now, and I mentally noted that it was due to a Sakura information overload. And decided I would start formulating a plan tomorrow. "Thank you Itachi, I'll keep that in mind." And we both headed home.

_**TBC**_

A/N: this is really turning out to be a dark, tragic, angsty fic. But that's pretty much my mood right now. Job interviews aren't going as planned, I **STILL** don't have a car. And my current job's wages just aren't helping me to make the cut. Maybe, just _maybe_ if I stopped buying food, I will be able to make it. I mean, becoming an anorexic won't KILL me right? Err, riiiiiight. I knew that. Anyway, I'm actually not thrilled at the idea of flamers for this one. And if you read all of the notes from before the chapter, you would know why Itachi is in the picture.

Anyway(again) I will make the next chapter Sakura's P.O.V. and she'll actually be really emotional on the inside, also murder inner Sakura at least six times a day.

That's all, please remember to tell your friends, reviewers, and fav authors about my stories if you think they are worthwhile. As always, reviews are much appreciated.

Gintsuki


	3. Doctor Haruno

_Doctor Haruno_

A/N: Okay peoples! This is going to be weird, YES weird. And it will be mostly in Sakura's head. Also I will be trying to make this chapter a long one. Maybe, I just got off work, it's a quarter to one, and I have to be up by four. So it really just depends on how tired I am. Also my internet does this weird thing where it shuts down in the wee hours of the morning. WHICH TOTALLY FUCKING SUCKS!

One more thing, I would now like to Introduce to the audience, two of my Sisters'. First is my twin sister Akasuna no Vaioretogetsu/Vaira/Vai (Yes I realize I'm from rain, and she's from sand. But these are the names we go by. And 'Ps:' She's married to Sasori) and secondly is our younger sister (teenaged) Akuatora, or just Tora. She is also from Suna, raised and trained by Vaira, (also took some classes taught by Gaara). Anyway, family, meet the readers, readers, meet the family...

~crickets chirping~ oooooooooooookaaaaaaay then...

...Well as a special treat, some of the Akatsuki will be doing the disclaimer for you today!

_**Disclaimer:**_ Sasori: I am Akasuna no Sasori. And this blond idiot is my partner, Deidara; we are here to tell you...

Tora: DEIDARA! How **DARE** you sit on **Lord **_**GAARA!**_ (Author input: During the first season of Shippuden, I believe Ep. 8 or 9. idk though) ~Tora attacks Deidara with Scissors, razors, and scalpels. ~

Deidara: AAAHHHH UN! MY HAIR UN!

~fifteen minutes later~ Tora nods at her handy work and hands a mirror to Deidara~

~Deidara lifts the mirror up to see his head (on the left side) and inspects it for any damage~

Deidara: HEY! You didn't even cut my hair brat! ~he turns mirror to the other side of his head, only to find that he is entirely bald on the right side of his head~

Deidara: ~BAWLS LIKE ANIME~ **WHY! **My HAIR! My beautiful silken hair! WHYYYYYY!

Sasori: As I was saying, Neither Gintsuki, nor her mentally unstable family own the manga that is Naruto. Now fuck off!

Gintsuki: Yo Sasori! Don't you have to worry about woodpeckers?

Sasori: I said _**FUCK OFF!**_

Gintsuki: I am _**SO**_ telling your wife that you said that to me.

Sasori: You _wouldn't!_

Gintsuki: I…

Vaira: _**SASORI!**_

Gintsuki: …did. ~smirks~

Ahem, while Sasori is busy being the WHIPPED slav… I mean _Husband_ that he is, enjoy the chapter…

Ps: I swear I have more fun writing the intro then the chapter. HAHAHAHA!...?

On with the story...

Sakura's P.O.V.

I slowly rounded the dimly lit corner, in an attempt to corner my target, not especially easy considering it has senses better than any Ninja. I however, quickly pinpointed its position from where I stood in the doorway, and crept up on it. My target...

THE _**BIGGEST**_ MUTHAFUCKING COCKROACH I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY **LIFE**!

When one comes upon a bug problem in their own home, they simply follow the Konoha guide to insect infestations. This would be to call any Aburame clan member you happen to be acquainted with, and ask them nicely to remove it. However, Shino was currently on a mission with his father, meaning I had no Aburame that I was acquainted with that was still in the village. However, at times like this I follow the Girly-girl's guide to bug problems by Gintsuki of the Rain. It's really very easy.

Step one, arm yourself with a spray bottle of bleach (A/N: Yes _BLEACH_! Because some bugs are immune to Raid, or pest control sprays. But I guarantee that the bleach will work every time!), and a broom and dust pan set.

Step two, sneak up on the creepy crawly and waste it with an over dose of bleach that could kill a horse! (A/N: just to be safe. :D)

Step three, sweep the fallen creeper into your dustpan, and proceed to the nearest bathroom.

Step Four, dump the should be dead, but it's _**still**_ kicking for some reason, creepy crawly into the toilet and flush.

Step five, and final step, pour the rest of your bleach into the toilet, and flush it until you are sure the bug won't crawl back out. If you still don't feel safe, pour another helping of bleach into the toilet, and flush until you do.

In the event you still don't feel safe from creepy crawlers in your own home, bug bomb the place, then come back home and clean it up.

Leaving me in my current position of sneaking up on a fucking COCKROACH! **'**_**Some badass muthufucking Ninja we are!**_' inner Sakura stated sarcastically. I had decided to let her out of her cage today, as I wasin a good mood, before I picked up one of my chest bindings off the floor, and found a _**muthufucking COCKROACH **_on it! This caused me to scream, throw the bindings on the floor, and run for the bleach, (conveniently stored in a kitchen closet with my broom and dustpan.) Quickly emptying about half the bleach onto the bug before it could get any closer to my bed, I swept it up, and hurried to the bathroom, where I flushed the bug, and flushed a few more time, before pouring the rest of my bleach into the toilet, and flushing six more times. I then grabbed a roll of paper towels, and went to clean up the bleach on my wall. Once that was finished, I swept up the abused bindings, and threw it in my fire place, which I had lit earlier this morning.

Finally finishing with that, I washed my hands, and proceeded into my kitchen. My house wasn't very large, but then I was the only person living in it, so it really didn't matter. **'**_**Let's have some cereal. I'm starved!**_**' **inner Sakura chimed in. I had figured out some few years back, how to cage her inside my mind, keeping her taunting comments at bay. The only side effect was that my outward emotions were hidden away. So really it was a win/win situation, because this way I didn't have to try as hard to hide them, however I learned that keeping her caged for too long a time period could be quite dangerous to my mental health. So from time to time I let her out to stretch around. Today being one of those days.

Looking at the clock I realized I was running a few minutes late for an appointment to check on Itachi at the hospital, and I cursed under my breath. **'**_**It's fine to be a few minutes late, your devoting your entire Saturday to him!**_**'** I couldn't help but agree with her. We were testing to see how his new vessel was holding up today, which meant starting slow. So I would have to monitor him while practiced Taijutsu, and gradually moving onward.

So locking up, I set out on my way to the hospital at a leisurely pace.

A good twenty minutes later I found myself at the hospital check up room of where I would normally meet Uchiha Itachi for checkups. _**'Hott smexy badass former s-class criminal HERE I COME!'**_ '_Don't make me regret letting you out today.' __**'totally! Forget I'm even here girlfriend.' **__'That's more like it.' __**'BUT YOU HAVE TO ADMIT HE'S HOTT!'**_"Ugh!" I groaned out loud while rubbing my temples. Maybe I should put her back in her cage.

Shrugging it off, I opened the door to find an already shirtless Uchiha sitting on the examination bed, and the side window open. "Would it be so terrible Uchiha-san if the nurses on duty were to see you?" I asked slightly annoyed that he still insisted on coming in through the window to avoid 'troublesome' fangirls. "I believe Amara at the front desk caught a glimpse of my hair when I signed myself in." He countered teasingly. I glared at him, I was no longer the type for playful word games. And he already knew that. "I apologize for my sarcasm, it was not called for Doctor Haruno." He apologized sincerely, and I sighed, there really was no reason to discriminate against the whole family for something Sasuke did, some _Things_ rather. "I've told you before Uchiha-san, you may call me Doctor Sakura, or just Sakura. Preferably the latter." I said going over the paper work, and checking his pulse at the same time, once finished he replied with, "And I have insisted you call me Itachi, yet still you refuse, I am merely keeping us on equally respectful ground where we should be. I am no better than you, and vice versa. If you insist upon keeping us formal, I will insist to be allowed the same."

While inner Sakura (and the author) swooned, I felt the things I thought I'd sooner die than feel from an Uchiha…

…Acceptance and acknowledgement. _**'Totally thought We'd never see the day!' **__'I completely agree.' _"I never expected you to see me as your equal Itachi. Your acceptance and acknowledgement has proven a very valuable lesson to me." "And that would be?" he asked, arching his perfect Uchiha eyebrow. Meanwhile Inner let a full blown, real, and honest to Kami smile spread on my face. "That one can never discriminate against an entire family for the mistakes of one member." His lips quirked in what I can only assume was a near smile. "Ah, and you are referring to Madara, or Sasuke?" I looked at him shocked, I hadn't even _**considered**_ Madara. But now that he's mentioned it… "I suppose both. But I was originally speaking of the latter."

"AAAAAACHUUU!" "Yo! Sasuke you okay? That looked violent!" Kiba asked me as he offered his hand to help me off the ground. I accepted not wanting to insult my recently renewed friends, and I picked up the ramen bar stool that I had taken with me when I fell. "Must have been allergies. So what's up Kiba, Akamaru?" I asked, not forgetting his (extremely hard to miss) white dog. "Oh this and that, missions, reports, HeeeLO! Ladies!" he cut himself off, wiggling his eyebrows at the two civilian girls that past by us. They giggled, waved, and continued walking. "Where was I?" he asked, turning his attention back to me. "The usual." I supplied, "Ah yes, the usual. So why are you at Ichiraku without any of your team?" he asked, noticing the weirdly absent Naruto, and the not so weirdly absent Sakura. "Kakashi and Naruto are on a mission, you just missed them actually. And Sakura still believes my corpse should be rotting at the bottom of a pit of snakes." "Rotting in a long unused dungeon filled with vermin and various unidentifiable foul smelling objects on the walls actually." Itachi said cutting into the conversation. Kiba looked at him weirdly, like he recognized him, but couldn't quite place him. "Uh, Kiba this is my brother Uchiha Itachi, Itachi this is a friend of Mine, Inuzuka Kiba, and his ninja hound Akamaru." I introduced waving in the direction of each person respectfully. "Pleasure." Itachi said, holding his hand out, Kiba shook it somewhat hesitantly, "Er, Likewise." He said, before sitting next to me, and ordering a bowl of ramen.

"So back to the subject of Sakura, what's up?" Kiba asked, "Last I heard from Naruto, she wished I'd died on my mission, and my corpse was rotting in a rat infested garbage disposal apparently. Oh, and if I approach her while she is still in the village, she'll leave with or without the permission of the Hokage, and if I look for her outside the village, she'll kill me and go rogue." Kiba let out a long low whistle. "Well damn you're screwed! What I really want to know is how Itachi, uh may I call you that?" "Of course." "Thanks, anyway, how he knew about the rats, and dungeon and whatnot." "Itachi gives all the other medics the creeps that aren't fangirls, so Sakura is his personal Doctor." "Hot DAMN! How did you manage that!" "I spent the last sixteen years building up a reputation as a mass murdering psychotically imbalanced sociopath, and working as a double agent in the field in order to return after dying twice, resulting in the irreversible fear and loathing of most of the village, and the adoration, and thanks of the understanding remainder of the village, as well as an annoyingly increasing fan-club. Did I leave anything out?" "The resurrection jutsu in where you did not receive your own body and are now living in an unstable vessel until your body can be found in one of Madara's hideouts." I supplied, "Ah yes, that as well." Once Kiba had picked his jaw off the ground, he was able to respond. "Well Hell! If that's the only way I can get a doctor that won't grope me, then screw that! I'll just deal with the groping!" he growled/laughed as he paid for his bowl and stood up. "You could always ask her Inuzuka-san." Itachi supplied. "Nah, it would be a waste of her time and effort seeing how she leaves in two months. And I wouldn't want to bug her." He said as he and Akamaru began their departure. "And by the way, you can call me Kiba." He called over his shoulder, before they both disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Sakura's P.O.V.

I was now standing in the middle of training ground 14 waiting for Itachi and drinking some water when I suddenly felt his presence to my left. "My most sincere apologize if I have kept you waiting long Doctor Sakura." I rolled my eyes at his attempts to remain formal with me during sessions, but hey, at least he was professional. _**'Professionally HOTT!'**__ 'The HELL? That's not even a profession!' __**'It is on him! DAMN is it hot out here, or is it just from being close to HIM!' **__'That's it! Back in the cage!' __**'AAAAAAAHHHHHHH! NO I'LL BE GOOD I SWEAR!' **__'You'd better be.' __**'cross my heart!'**_ "Not at all Itachi. You said you were going to lunch, and I had mine here, you are on time and you know it. Now then, after you've digested enough, you may begin your warm ups, and once finished with that, you may begin training. Taijutsu only today, I need to see if you strain your vessel."

"As you wish Doctor." Was all he said, before shedding his shirt, and approaching the training dummies at an agonizingly slow pace. Be it because he was over confidant in his appearance, or that he was trying to piss me off, I don't know which. But I _do_ know that the latter was most likely to happen if he didn't hurry things up. Meanwhile inner Sakura was a pile of goo, yes goo. She had sworn to behave, and that meant no commenting on Uchiha hotness. Thus resulting in the melting of my inner. Now I had a mess to clean up when she went back into her cage… _**'NO CAGE! NO CAGE!'**_ _'Ah, so she lives. It's time to be professional Doctor/Medic Ninja mode. Think you can handle that inner?' __**'~sniffles~ yeeeeeesss…'**_

We both instantly switched to full Medic mode, (well I did, she'd actually just concentrate on his body in a **whole** other way, then banter with me about it later.) and began to watch as Itachi approached the dummies once more after he finished stretching, before glancing back in my direction. "Go ahead, I'm watching."

"Your pulse is normal, your body doesn't seem to be overly stressed, and yet you're pale? And you said you feel exhausted?" "Not completely, but more so than I should after merely practicing Taijutsu." "Very strange, we'll meet again tomorrow after lunch, at the hospital. And take the door." With that I began to leave the training grounds, and he easily fell into step beside me. "May I accompany you?" while inner Sakura swooned, _**'SQUEEEEEEEE!'**_ or, uh squealed rather, I only gave him a guarded look. "Any particular reason?" I questioned, slightly suspicious. "Intelligent conversation, as the village seems to be short of personnel capable of doing so." He responded without any hesitation. And I mentally noted that he was right, anyone worth holding a decent conversation with was afraid of him, and although I knew he often was found with Kakashi talking about Kami only knows what they did back then, he seemed to be lacking anyone to hang out with because Naruto and Kakashi had gone to Suna. On a diplomatic mission that required the Hokage's personal attention. Leaving the counsel, (newly selected younger, but not _YOUNG_ Shinobi) to take care of his duties while away, and on top of that, he wasn't expected back for a few weeks. "Alright Itachi, that's a reasonable request." I said as we began to walk towards town again. I was a little hungry, and I'm sure he must have been too. "Would you like to get some dinner? We could talk while we sustain ourselves, and you probably need it after the training." I said, hoping and praying that **Kami** he didn't get the wrong idea. Cuz then I'd have to be mean to him for like, absolutely no reason, and then make up some stupid reason like, well I have this abhorrent distaste for ex cons. HA! Like that would work…_'hmmmmm'_ _**'DON'T GO GETTING ANY IDEAS!'**_ _'But that one was actually pretty good.' __**'Like I care!'**_ just then Itachi answered me. "You are correct in assuming so _Doctor_." He smirked after stressing the last word, I assumed this was his way of teasing, and I absently wondered if he was flirting. _'Oh __**Kami **__**NO!**__**'**_ "I assure you my only intention was to tease you." _**'Way to go with the look of horror!' **__'SHUT UP!'_ "Oh, I'm sorry. It's not that I thought… uh, that is. Well Damn I'm not helping the intelligent conversation shortage am I?" he chuckled softly at my outburst, and I let a small one escape my mouth as well. "I wasn't flirting Sakura, I promise. My only intention was to help you relax, I apologize for the misinterpretation." "Why are you apologizing? I'm the one who misunderstood your intention. I'm sorry." For some weird reason I smiled, it was so foreign, and I knew that Inner had something to do with it. "I was hoping I might be able to call you my friend Sakura, as I hope you understand all my acquaintances in the village apart from the Hokage, were made through my brother, and your friend Naruto. But you are the first I feel I can speak with openly, as if we've forged a bond that isn't quite like that of family, but more then comrades. Does this make sense?" he asked, I nodded in understanding. "Its' perfectly alright, I'm glad you want to be friends. But remember when your health is involved everything is professional." I warned, he nodded back, "I understand completely. In saying so, what do you suppose today's results will bring?" I had to shove inner to the farthest darkest corner of my mind to be able to lie to him. I couldn't tell him that thus far it didn't look promising, so I had to lie. "It's too early to say anything for sure, but I believe it'll all work out." He gave me a quick sideways glance, then nodded and faced in front of us again, "You should let her out more often you know, an inner consciousness is really a wonderful gift. Have you given her a name?" I stopped dead in my tracks, and stared at him. _'I __knew__ I wasn't insane! I just __**couldn't**__ be the only person with an inner!' __**'No shit Sherlock…'**_ "Uh…. I never named her, I just call her inner. Do you have one?" I couldn't resist, I had to ask. "Sasuke does, I never was gifted with an alternate self, the voice which speaks to me only does so when it has to do with grave situations, and has the voice of my mother. Your inner is much like your self is she not?" "No we're complete opposites." I growled grudgingly. "For example?" he asked, looking for all the world like this was the most interesting topic since herbal essences shampoo! "Uh, for example, she's highly in tune with our emotions. That's why she's often locked away, it makes things easier to deal with, and helps me keep my cool on dangerous missions." "Well if that's the case I don't see the reason you keep her locked up when at home." He replied. _**'Thank You ITACHI!'**__ 'Shut up… I HAVE a plausible reason for wanting to keep my emotions hidden.' _ At inner's silence I took it she understood to keep her mouth shut for right now. And another reason as to why I should keep her locked up, is because it is far too easy to read through my eyes when she's out. "Sasuke." "Huh wha..?" I said looking around to see if he was addressing his brother, so I could make a quick exit. Then I realized he was addressing me. "I could read it in your eyes, something I couldn't do the other day when you had her locked up. But I can see it now. Why would he be the reason you hide so much?" I stared at him, as if to ask 'do you honestly expect me to answer that question?' and he shook his head. "Sakura, if I can keep village secrets under lock and key for over fourteen years, then I am most certain I can keep a secret for a friend." The corner of his mouth twitched in an attempt at a comforting smile. "Even from your brother." I realized that in the process of not spewing venom when I said 'brother' that I had said it more as a statement than a question. However Itachi was unaffected by this, and smirked. "Especially my brother." He said, amusement dripping from his voice. "Its' not so much that I hide everything because of him specifically, but more so I hide what he caused. Before I figured out how to lock inner away, I was a mess. I was broken, emotional, and had given up. Without him, I felt no reason to live. I destroyed my mirrors in order to keep from looking at myself, and I hardly left my apartment for anything short of an emergency. I couldn't even call myself a Kunoichi anymore! I eventually made the connection that I couldn't get rid of the emotions that hurt so much, because they were all coming from a stronger source. I crushed that force, locked it away with the emotions it threw at me, and found a new way to live. From then on, I live for me, and I take nothing from no one." I suddenly realized that I was once again reverting back to the heartless Sakura I wasn't supposed to be at this moment, and immediately softened. "Uh, sorry. However there were some side effects to blocking her out, the mind needs connection to emotion in order to operate correctly. So if I were to block her away permanently, I would lose my mind, and probably turn into a monster." "If it's such a risk to your mental health, then why do it at all?" I gave him another 'are you stupid?' look, before answering. "I was more at risk of going crazy and killing myself when she was being emotional, while I was being broken." "I understand. Before you mentioned not taking anything from anyone. What did the Hokage have to say about that?" I immediately went rigid, and he paused in our walking in order to face me, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" "No, its fine, you deserve to know. Kakashi and I don't talk anymore, and the reason is entirely my fault, you see I refus…" "Refused to heal my brother and wished him dead. Yes I am aware of the entire episode, I overheard Naruto retelling the story to Sasuke." My head dropped to look at the ground, then I pulled it back up proudly. "I'm not ashamed, and I understand if you hate me. As is I've done nothing to deserve your kindness, nor your friendship. Hell I'd feel disgusted with myself if you were to be my friend knowing that I would have let your brother die, and would still try to kill him. If I deserve anything from you its hatred." He smirked at me again, causing inner to once again melt into a puddle of puke, and cause me utter confusion. "Quite the contrary Sakura, you agreed to be my personal Doctor until my actual body is recovered and the jutsu reversed. You _**did**_ save my brother's life (albeit unwillingly), as well as my own. And you continuously encourage me to be hopeful for a recovery and return to active duty, even though you already know that none of the results look promising. In accompaniment to all of this, Sasuke forgives you and understands your wanting him dead, and agreed with you until Naruto Uzumaki nearly knocked him out telling him otherwise. And lastly, my brother loves you, and would do near anything to see you happy, even if that happiness is without him. He is now purposefully avoiding meeting you anywhere in order that you won't leave any sooner than your originally planned departure. And I agreed to dinner with you, because he drives me near insanity with the questions he asks about you.

So you see, you hold his heart. Therefore you deserve my friendship. I am his only remaining family, and there is no guarantee that I will survive, even if they do find my body in time, in order to ensure the procedure is successful we would need you there, as well as Sasuke in order to stabilize me, and he fears that you may not agree to it as long as he is there, and in so would lose two people precious to him." I stared dumbfounded at Itachi. "Holy shit this must be a record for Uchiha speech!" _**'You IDIOT! You said that out loud!'**_ "Oops… How did you know we would also need Sasuke to stabilize your chakra?" "I've done my home work." "Oh… hold it! Back up! How does he figure he's losing two precious people if you were… if your procedure is unsuccessful?" "Because he's already lost you." the way he said it, almost made me feel bad. _**'Almost. ~evil smirk~'**_ _'I'm glad to see you finally agree with me.' __**'Meh, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.'**__ 'Couldn't agree more!'_ instead of looking sad, or apologetic, I crossed my arms over my chest, and glared. "It's his own fault! Back then he hated me, and in order to prove so tried to kill me! Well you know what? Karma is the devil, and Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. So tell you brother to suck it up, and be a man!" with this I started heading for my apartment, appetite gone, and anger boiling over. I needed to clean the place anyway due to the bug bomb I set off in there earlier this morning. But then I stopped, and turned to face him. "I'm sorry to run out on dinner Itachi, and I apologize for yelling at you. but I need to go sort things out, and my apartment needs scrubbed down, something I do when angry, and I've been seriously neglecting. So I'll see you tomorrow at one, training ground fourteen. Goodnight."

He nodded his understanding, and lifted his hand in a half wave, half salute. "Goodnight Sakura, I will see you tomorrow."

I walked into my apartment to the smell of bug killing chemicals, and went to my storage closet for the supplies needed to scrub down my furniture and walls. I started with my bed first, stripped it, and threw the sheets in the wash. I then pulled the neatly folded clean sheets out of the dryer where I had put them earlier to keep them from getting chemicals in them, and made the bed. About two hours later, I was in the living room, scrubbing down the second to last wall, though still pretty pissed at seemingly nothing in particular. (And inner was totally coming to the dark side, although I was sure it was only because she didn't want to go back in the cage.), anyway, as I finished that wall, and moved to the last one, inner Sakura stopped ranting and started to run around inside my head screaming like some sort of cross between a big baby girl, and some mentally insane maniac. Then I looked at the wall…

"_**! BIGGESTMUTHAFUCKIN'SPIDERI'VEEVERSEENINMYDAMNLIFE!**_"

Where's my bleach!

**TBC…**

A/N: I SAID I WAS SORRY!

And I'm working on it!

Sorry for late updates, but let's see how many of you can work two jobs, go to school, and babysit your younger siblings at random intervals and keep on the ball!

I promise! _**PROMISE!**_To update the rest of them as well, just bare with me.

And remember, the number of people to review per the number on the chapter, and I will give another chapter.

R&R Thanks…

Gintsuki :D


	4. Valentines Day Avoidances

_**Valentines Day Avoidance**_

A/N: I'm So sorry to the fans that I promised updates, and didn't keep that promise soon enough. Quick note though, "Untitled" is now entitled "Like a Boss" So if you were reading it before, This is why it has said "Untitled/Like a Boss" for so long. I will be removing the 'Untitled' from the beginning as soon as the next chapter for that story is up. Thank you for your patience, please enjoy the chapter...

_Disclaimer:_ I DO **NOT** OWN NARUTO/NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FROM EITHER! Enjoy.

Sakura's P.O.V.

I leapt from my house onto the roof of a nearby building, then into the ally between it and the next door complex, then took a detour through the forest before arriving on an old path between the forest and town on my way to the hospital. Why go to such extremes? Because its Valentines Day, and I have a lot of Fanboys waiting in front of my house, as well as in front of the hospital. ~sigh~ And I was nagging Itachi for not taking the door yesterday... he is so never going to let this go...

"Sakura?" I looked up, hate filled eyes in the direction the voice came from. Only to find the younger Uchiha slowly backing away, hands up defensively and shock evident on his face. '_This is probably the path he takes to avoid running into me.'_ I thought as I continued to glare. "Uchiha." I grit out, good feelings long gone at this point. _**'Now Sakura...calm down.'**__ 'cage...now.'_

"Gomen...I ...I didn't think you would be coming this way. Excuse me Sakura." And just like that, other Uchiha disappeared as though he were deathly afraid. I shook it off, and tried to get back into some semblance of a good mood. But it was no use. _'Oh well, I'm nearly to the hospital now.'_

"Sakura? And here you have been scolding me for stealthily entering the Hospital." Itachi teased, showing up directly behind me in the narrow ally. "Such things may be overlooked if you are highly popular on days such as these." I replied coldly his frown deepened...if that is even possible. "Now I understand why Sasuke's chakra was so irregular. He must have crossed paths with you. That explains why he transported to Kage Mountain." Itachi explained, I only glared harder, not actually at Itachi. But through him. "Yes, I saw him." I replied icily.

"Damn that's cold. That explains why I ran into the stupid Uchiha moments ago. Sakura-senpai is only ever this frigid when she sees him." I tried to tone down the ice in my voice when I responded. "Hello Karin." ….fail. "Returning to our earlier topic. Am I to understand that entering the hospital grounds through subtle means is allowed on holidays similarly to today?" Itachi asked. "Yes, today is fine. But I expect you to use the door tomorrow." I replied, my tone nearly back to normal. "What do you two think about a race? To the exam room?" Karin suggested. **'**_**Hell yeah! Race the Uchiha!'**__ 'where did you come from?! Never mind._' Itachi seemed to notice there was now emotion in me, because his expression returned to normal. "Sure, I'm game. Itachi?" I asked, he smirked. "The one who loses pays for lunch." He suggested. "You are so on!" I said, good mood finally returning. "I'll send a signal when I get to the exam room." Karin said, then bolted for the hospital door. A few moments later we saw the signal, and took off in separate directions. I knew exactly how I was going to win. There was a door in the back for Medic Ninja use only that required your chakra signature to be opened. But the door was straight down the hall from my exam room. Once the door was in sight, I threw a chakra tag at it. The door opened before I even got to it. And I grabbed the tag still in a dead sprint so the door closed behind me. And I slid into the exam room 5,8 seconds from the start of the race. Only to find...

"How the _HELL_ did I lose?!" I said in disbelief. As I saw Itachi sitting quite comfortably on the window sill. "As soon as the signal was given I leapt atop the hospital roof, made my way across to the far corner, then dropped to the window sill above this one, and slid inside our exam room." Itachi explained. "No worries Sakura-senpai. Uchiha-san only beat you by .8 seconds." Karin tried to comfort me. "5 seconds flat?!" I looked at him. "I'll have to mark that down in my chart." I told him, as Karin walked to her end of the hospital. "Of course Doctor." He replied with a smirk. And we fell into our routine.

Sasuke's P.O.V.

"And you're still alive?!" Tenten yelled once I'd finished explaining to her and Neji what exactly had me so on edge when I had accidentally interrupted they're spar in the training grounds atop Kage Mountain. "Do I look like a ghost Tenten?" I replied sarcastically. "Well, no. But you know what I mean! The girl has been completely... well not insane, but weird for two years now!" Tenten tried to explain. Neji and I just gave identical looks of, 'You high bitch?'

"Well...weird for Sakura." she corrected. "I know." was all I could come up with.

"Well you damn well should know! My Sakura has been gone for two years, and all I see is this emotionless, murderous, freaking scary specter of her! And its _your_ fault Sasuke!" Came an unhappy voice from behind to my left. "Good morning Ino." I replied. "Fuck you!" She said, as she came up and stood by Tenten. "Sorry to take her Neji, but she and I have an errand that she happens to be two hours late for." Ino said sweetly to Neji, while simultaneously glaring at Tenten for being late. "Oh...Ehehehe...oops?" Tenten tried. "Kami Tenten, I understand, really I do. But _TWO_ hours, is a new record. Even for Naruto!" "Gomen Ino, I just..." "Yeah, I know. Forgot!" Neji and I watched them talk as they walked. I looked at Neji as if to ask 'The hell was that?'

"Tenten and I are a couple now." he said plainly. "Well good for you two. Congratulations Neji." I responded. "Thank you." he said,

"How long have you two been together?" I asked. "Do you remember that time your brother invited her over to give her a sword? And I followed her..." (If you don't get it, read my oneshot, 'Jealousy' a NejiTen story) Neji seemed somewhat embarrassed about the occasion. I thought back, that was only a month ago. "Yeah, I think so. What about it?"

"I followed her because I was jealously thinking she was interested in your brother." He admitted, not looking at me. I snickered at the thought. "Really? It was even obvious to Naruto that she liked you! And you thought she had fazed into one of my brother's fangirls?!" I asked, nothing short of amused. "He has that effect on the majority of females." Neji retorted, not happy I was so amused by this. "And since when is Tenten part of the Majority?" I asked, just to irk him further. "Whatever Uchiha. I'm going to continue training. You going to stick around? We can spar." He suggested. "Sure, why not." I replied, getting to my feet.

Neji and I sparred the whole morning, then went to lunch. Because we both had fangirl issues on this particular day. We went to a tiny cafe on the edge of town, near the main gate. Upon arriving at the cafe, I felt the familiar presence of my Aniki, which should have warned me as to what would happen next, as I knew he was supposed to be with her all day. However I failed to comprehend the message he was sending me with his facial gestures, and approached him anyway. That's about the same moment I heard it. Sakura's laughter, and although it filled me with some long dormant emotions at hearing her crystal laugh. I was also filled with sadness, and dread. Sadness because it was someone else making her laugh. Dread, because I knew she wouldn't stand for two run ins in one day. "Neji, I'm sorry to do this to you, but if Sakura sees me then that's it. She wont take it a second time today. Here is some money for lunch, I'll wait outside." I whispered to him, handing him the money. "Don't worry about a thing Sasuke. I'll try to keep her from noticing." he replied. I nodded in thanks, and ran like hell back out of the small diner. Neji, I was finding, is a great friend. When I no longer felt Itachi's chakra signature, I assumed the cost was clear, and dropped from the roof of the cafe only to land directly in front of Sakura. "Shit!" I cursed, and made to leave. "Uchiha..." she trailed off, although she sounded pissed. I stopped, if she was addressing me while I was in the middle of disappearing, then it was obviously important. "Hai?" I asked facing her now, still ready to take off at any given moment. "These are both coincidence, correct?" She asked icily. "Hai." I said again.

"Alright, I sent Itachi ahead of me because there is something I need to discuss with you." she explained, gesturing me to follow her. _'Okay two things, First, THIS WASN'T A COINCIDENCE THEN BITCH! Second, this is either really important...' __**'Or we're going to die!'**__ 'Thanks for the optimism Kuro. You are a great help. __**'Hey, what are inners for? Now pay attention. I don't want to die today.'**__ 'Bite me!'_

Sakura and I walked to a painfully familiar path, with a stone bench to our right, then she walked over and sat on it. I made no move to sit next to her though, I wasn't about to push my luck.  
>"Itachi's procedure will take place soon, I received word from the Hokage during lunch that his original body has been found, perfectly preserved. Therefore it hasn't even any sign of decomposition." she paused here to observe my reaction. "Please continue." I supplied, she nodded.<p>

"As I'm sure you know, this procedure will require us to work together. Therefore we will need to train for it for the next few weeks. I intend to perform Itachi's restoration as soon as Hokage-sama, and Naruto return from Suna with his body. Any questions?" she looked at me with stone cold, emotionless eyes. Just as Ino had said, like she was a specter of her former self. "Um, as for the training?" I asked. "You will need to meet with Itachi and I on a daily basis. Dr. Shinwa will be joining us to help me keep up on my work with Itachi, while I work with you. Anything else Uchiha?" Although I knew it was a bad idea, I had to ask anyway. "Would it kill you to call me Sasuke?" I asked slightly aggravated. "Sasuke is dead to me. I'll see you tomorrow at eight am, training ground fourteen. Good day." After that, she disappeared to go meet with Itachi.

"Well that was indeed... oh how did Inuzuka put it? Ah yes, rather brutal." Neji said showing up beside me a few moments later. "Saw that huh?" I asked, even though I knew he had. He nodded in reply. "So...lunch?" he asked abruptly. "Yeah..." was my quiet reply. _**'Dude, I'm alter-ego with all the bounce back mad skillz... and even I can't think of anything to do about this right now.'**__ 'Gee, thanks for pointing out the obvious. If there was a comeback at that moment, you would have been shouting it at the top of your lungs, along with several insults directed at anyone, and everyone you could think of.' __**'Yeah well... never mind, just let me think of a plan!' **__'Oh sure...'_

A short time after lunch, Neji joined back up with Tenten to spend the rest of Valentines day with her. I continued on my way home until I came across Kiba and Akamaru in the forest. "Kiba, Akamaru..."

"Dude! We saw what happened earlier. Sakura is seriously scary man!" Kiba announced skipping all formalities. "Yeah... I'll live." I said rubbing my neck, and trying to ignore him as I passed. This was not to be as he fell into step beside me. "So what now?" he asked. I gave him a look that clearly displayed 'The Hell should I know?!'

He continued to wait for my answer like the thick idiot he is. "I don't know Kiba." I said although My inner 'Kuro' is his name, pleaded that I knock Kiba unconscious and head home. "Well you have to spend a few hours with her everyday until the restoration Jutsu goes down, right?"

"Yeah, and?" I asked, getting increasingly irritated with the mutt.

"So why not try to make conversation, get her to open up little by little. Or however girls say it. My point is, if you can get her to accept you as a friend, she may start to love you again. er...eventually. Although if she liked you again, she wouldn't leave the village." I face palmed.

"Kiba, don't you think I had thought of that already? Sakura has found a way to entirely seal away her emotions. She said that I'm dead to her plain and simple. There is nothing short of divine intervention that could get her to speak to me on human terms again." I explained.

"I would never compare myself to a deity Otouto, but I am grateful for the compliment." I heard Itachi's voice from behind me. "Done already Aniki?" I asked quickly turning around to face him. "Itachi, been awhile, congrats on Naruto's team recovering your body. Must be nice knowing you don't have to be a zombie anymore." Kiba greeted. "It is, Thank you Kiba. Hello Akamaru." Itachi greeted back, and Akamaru responded with a happy woof. "And as for your question Sasuke. Sakura and I decided to finish early today so that I could relay the 'ground rules' to you." Itachi explained. ""Lovely."" Kiba and I said at the same time.

Sakura's P.O.V.

So Itachi and I wrapped things up for the day, and he agreed to lay the rules on Sasuke.

There will be a personal space perimeter that he may _**NOT**_, under ANY circumstances, enter.

While I am working with Itachi, he is not to bother me for ANY reason.

He may not ask about what happened to me that I am so different, for he SHOULD have realized already.

If he is ever late, Sakura is allowed to punch him with whatever amount of force she so chooses and he may not block.

I was satisfied with the rules Itachi had allowed. However, for Itachi to have tolerated the rules at all a sacrifice had to be made...

"DAMN that Itachi! I don't WANT to speak to that insufferable brother of his!" I slammed my fist onto the table. I did not use chakra, as it was not my table. "Well look on the bright side. You only have to speak to him if Sas...er if the younger Uchiha speaks first, with a direct question or something." Ino tried to cheer me up, handing me a cup of our favorite tea as she sat next to me. "I just got extra pissed because it only just occurred to me that I forgot to make Itachi swear not to tell the idiot that, and to let him figure it out. Damn him! He's probably told that traitor by now!" I lashed out again. (No worries, she is only lashing out with her words.)  
>"Sakura... we've been over this! Sasu... The younger Uchiha isn't a traitor! And you know that." Ino said sternly. "Not an easy concept to grasp after so many years spent thinking he was a murderous traitor Ino." I replied spitefully.<p>

"Oh well...although I will say that whatever effect on you Itachi has, I'm glad for it. I haven't seen you, let alone any emotion from you in months!" she stated.

"Ino, I was in here two weeks ago." I reminded her.

"YOU were not, your empty emotionless hollow Sakura form was."

"Oh yeah... that..." I said guiltily.

"Don't you give me that "Oh that" Shit Haruno Sakura! I was really afraid you'd turned into a zombie!"

"Pig... I think you read too much manga."

"CAN IT FOREHEAD! An Otaku can NEVER read too much manga!" she said, and we glared lightning at each other for a minute, then spontaneously burst into laughter.

"Oh I've missed this Ino. I'll miss it even more when I leave in a few weeks." I said sadly

"WEEKS?" she screamed dropping her tea on the floor as she stood abruptly. "You can't be serious Sakura! You weren't supposed to leave until the middle of April! How can you just drop everything and leave?!" She had started crying.

"Ino... come on, don't be like that. You know better than anyone that the only reason I'm still here is to heal Itachi. He will be fully restored in three weeks, maybe less time than that. Once he's restored to his own body, I only need to monitor his condition long enough for Shizune to take over..."

"But Sakura! You don't understand! We were going to throw a surprise Birthday party for you!" Ino explained, wiping her eyes of the last few tears. "Oh..." I mumbled, now feeling Very guilty. "Yeah ~sniff~ 'Oh' forehead." Ino mocked. "Gomen Ino... but on top of the fact that I _hate_ surprise parties... can you really blame me for wanting to get away as fast as possible?"

~sniff~sniff~ "No...But I'm gonna miss you forehead. You want me to take care of your place while you're away?" she asked, a smile finally breaking through. "Would you really Ino? I most likely wont visit often... I don't want to inconvenience you at all." I asked hopeful.

"Actually... if you don't mind, could I just move in there? I've been meaning to get out on my own for awhile." she explained.

"Ino you're perfect!" I yelled, and hugged her around the neck.

"S-saku...ra... can't...breathe!" I quickly let go. "Sorry Ino..."

Ino and I said our goodbyes when Sai showed up unexpectedly early from his mission. _**'For someone that lacks emotion... He certainly can make one hell of a romantic gesture!' **_

_'I know! Running home as fast ass he could, with no chakra left, and picking wild roses for her on his way over. NOT EVEN GUYS THAT GREW UP WITH EMOTION CAN THINK OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT!'_

_**'~tears~ tell me about it... ~cries~'**_

_'Why are you crying?'__** 'Sai has been with Ino for only a year, and already he understands the importance of Valentines Day. Whereas Naruto and Hinata have been married for three years, and the village idiot is away on a mission!'**_ at this I began crying as well.

_'Poor Hinata!'_

_**'~still crying~ and I just realized... Tenten and Neji finally got together...a-a...and... we may never have someone to do something that sweet for us! ~cries harder~'**_

_'STOP! you're making me cry on the outside too!'_ But it was too late... Tenten and Neji had seen me. _'I BLAME YOU INNER!'_

"Sakura? Are you alright?" Tenten asked me.

"Yeah Ten, I'm fine. I just left Ino's. Sai finished his mission and ran home early to see Ino on valentines day. He only stopped long enough to pick wild roses for her, she was the first person he saw when he came home." I explained, wiping the last of my tears away. Tenten's eyes lit up with stars. "Kawaii!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "Tenten? Are you feeling alright?" Neji asked, feeling her head for a temperature. She swatted his hand away. "I _AM_ a _**Girl**_ Neji!" She stated sending him a halfhearted glare. "I apologize." I said smiling and wrapping his arm around her. Not wanting to interrupt their moment, I silently slipped away, and jumped from rooftop to rooftop until I got home.

When I arrived home I saw not a mountain of gifts, but only one Bouquet of red roses which had cherry blossoms strewn through it, and a note from my land lord stuck to the door. The note from my land lord was only to tell me that he had disposed of the flowers and candy that had piled up in front of my door, as promised.

The bouquet I took into the house with me, and threw on the counter. They were going in the trash regardless, and I knew exactly whom had brought them, for the chakra signature was still lingering on the flowers. But curiosity got the better of me, and I opened the card from the disgusting Uchiha anyway.

_**To Sakura,**_

_**I know this changes nothing, and that I probably owe you about a decades worth more of these for all the things you gave to me that I ignored. But even though you hate me now, I ask that you accept these, and allow me to tell you that I am sorry. Though I would have preferred to do so in person.**_

_**I sincerely hope you like these,**_

_**Sasuke.**_

I put the flowers in a vase, and tossed the note into _'__the forbidden drawer__' _with a sly smile on my lips. "Well played... Uchiha."

The following morning I was at the training grounds at dawn. Knowing that the Uchiha would be here for some early morning exercise. When he arrived in the clearing I currently occupied, looking slightly surprised by my presence, I motioned for him to sit down. "Good morning." He offered. "Do you realize, that had I not noticed it was from you, you may have very well gotten your brother killed Itachi?" I asked, an evil smirk playing on my lips.

"Sakura, I haven't the slightest inclination as to what you are referring." Itachi replied cooly, though I could see the amusement behind his eyes. "Itachi, I was on a team with him, and I've seen all his records... he is not the type to even know how to use the word 'sincerely' in a sentence correctly." I replied. "Although the rest of the note sounded like things he might come up with. Also the handwriting was slightly faster paced. You may want to slow down by a half second when you forage his handwriting in the future." I explained to him.

"And here I firmly believed that it would work. Sasuke didn't even realize I had slipped the note into the bouquet when he left to deliver them. Yes, I foraged the letter Sakura, but as you pointed out. Everything except the end of it came from Sasuke. They were things he said to me when he asked me to figure out your favorite flowers." Itachi confessed, and I grew somewhat angry...

"Have every one of our conversations up to this point been nothing but you subtly gathering information on me for your idiot brother?!" I asked icily, anger rising with every word. _**'Now Sakura, calm down, let the man explain...' **__'Shut up Bitch! CAGE!'_

"Now Sakura, you know that isn't true at all..."

"Do I Itachi?!" I yelled, interrupting him. "You know I hate him! You know I want nothing to do with him! And you know that if I see an opening I _Will_ kill him! So why try so hard to believe the opposite could ever be possible!" we were both standing now. I knew without inner free to hold me at bay I was likely to attack Itachi, which would be bad, considering in his current condition I would kick his ass into the dirt in about five seconds. And it looked bad on my resume.

"Because you loved him once before Sakura, and you may love him still..." He was cut off as I threw a chakra infused punch at his face. However, he wasn't the one who blocked it. "_Uchiha_." I ground out facing the younger brother as he lowered his arms from their guard in front of him. "It was only this one thing that I asked of him. He hasn't ever done it before, and I had to beg him, as well as swear never to ask him to do this again. Please forgive him Sakura." The younger Uchiha explained, almost pleaded. "You! Don't speak to me. I'm in a foul mood. I may forgive Itachi later. Right now, I am going to postpone training until this afternoon. Itachi, see Doctor Shinwa for today's tests." I had started to walk away when at the same time inner popped up, and eavesdropped on there conversation. "You didn't need to do that Sasuke, this body would have regenerated, and Sakura would have eventually forgiven me... I believe she would have anyway." Itachi said.

"Yes I did have to, that body regenerates yes. But with it _De_-generating as quickly as it has been, I wasn't about to take that risk." Younger Uchiha replied.  
>"Sasuke. Your left arm is broken in five places, and your right arm in two." Itachi said, matter of factly, as though that proved his side of the argument.<p>

"I'll go see Shizune-san, and... make up some training accident or something." at this point, inner took over with my better judgment as a good person, and made me turn back around. And just as slowly, if not slower I walked back towards the Uchiha brothers.

Both looked genuinely surprised I had returned. "Let me heal you." I ordered, kneeling down beside him, and putting both hands before me. "Uh.. Thank you." Sasuke said awkwardly.

"Tch." I said spitefully. _**'Hell yeah! Just throw that at him! Just like he did us all those years ago!'**_

I mentally smirked at her mood swings. _'I guess you have your moments.'_

"Sakura.. can we talk?" the loathed Uchiha asked me. "No." I said spitefully. "Why?" he asked as he and I continued to practice the necessary maneuvers for the Jutsu that would be used to heal Itachi. Well, the first several movements anyway.

"Because." I smirked, "You're annoying..."

"He..!" - "Is what I'd like to say. But that seems a little Too ironic, don't you think?" He said nothing, only shot me a quick glare. "Because Itachi will be restored ahead of schedule, will you be leaving early?" He asked suddenly, almost sadly. _**'What an EMO!'**_

_'Bitch, please... Think back to you and me a year ago tomorrow.' **'That is so totally different!'**_

_'I fail to see how... Now stop trying so hard to get into my good graces.. because its starting to actually work.' **'I love you too!'**_

"Yes, I plan on leaving in roughly three or four days after the... surgery for lack of a better term." I replied somewhat coldly, but a little triumphantly. If that's even possible...?

"Oh but the good Doctor will write to her patient, wont you Sakura-hime?" Itachi asked, walking up behind me. "I'll write to you if you never call me Hime again." I hissed at him.

"No promises Sakura,the title suits you well." Itachi responded amused.

"That's what my father said when I was twelve, so I let him call me that." I explained.

"Oh?" both Uchiha's asked.

"Yeah, then He and my mother died six months later. Right after one of my teammates defected, and the other took off to train." I finished hatefully, as I stood and began to walk away. "I have a lunch date with Ino. I'll be back in two hours. If I'm not, go home." I stated then transported to Ino's.

When I arrived at Ino's... "SAI GET YOUR WORTHLESS ASS OUT OF MY HOUSE NOW YOU EMOTIONLESS ASSHOLE!" ….well, its pretty self explanatory. "Ino please! You know I didn't mean it!" I heard Sai plead from where I stood just outside eye-shot near the doorway to Ino's home. "I SAID OUT BITCH! NOW!" next thing I heard was the sound of something shattering. _'Now, I must get involved!'_ I thought dramatically. _**'Mwahahaha...'**_ inner chuckled. _'Not that kind of involved, the good kind, where we save Sai's life.' __**'Oh, right. I totally knew that!'**__ 'Whatever.'_ Something else shattered, so I walked in, hands up, and a whistle in my mouth. Where the whistle came from, I have no idea, but I was blowing it like a referee at a hockey game. "Hey! Whoa! Foul! Time out Bitches!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, totally and thoroughly enjoying this. "Ugly/Sakura." They said at the same time. To which I punched Sai in the head, and then proceeded to hold Ino back from murdering him while he was down. "Sai, you best leave now, Sakura can't hold me back forever." Ino threatened. Now, I'm not one to judge, and I know Ino has taken a lot from Sai what with his... disability if you will. But I had never seen them fight this violently. Argue, yes. But that never really escalated to a screaming level... let alone a name calling level. Whatever Sai said to tick off Ino, it had obviously touched home. _**'Dear Kami-sama, I know I'm not exactly the one best deserving of a favor, but if you could please just allow Sai to **__**not**__** get killed by his currently psychotic girlfriend, it would make a lot of people very thankful. Amen.'**_ I rolled my eyes at inner, though she probably had the right idea, I was losing grip on Ino and pretty soon she was going to...

…...there she goes.

I fell backwards onto my butt, and watched silently as Ino full force punched her boyfriend in the face. I saw tears streaming down her face. "Get out." She said simply, it sounded more like a threat to me though. "But Ino I..."

"Get out Sai. And don't come back." This time Sai said nothing, and did as he was told. He silently left a crying Ino and I in her house.

_'Did they just... ….Break up?' _I asked inner, and her intelligent reply was _**'…'**_ _'Gee you're mighty helpful.'_

I wasn't stupid, I knew what had just happened. Ino's heart had been broken. The tone she had used moments ago, was the same tone I used when Naruto tried to convince me that Sasuke wasn't really a traitor. "You might as well go to Sakura. You wont be here for me pretty soon anyway." Ino said coldly as she tried to walk away. I jumped to my feet, turned her around and smacked her across the back of her head. Can you say WAKE UP CALL! "The _HELL_ kind of heartless bitch do you think I am Ino! There is NO WAY I'm leaving you like this!" I yelled at her. She, instead of arguing with me, burst into tears and hugged me. "Calm down Ino." I whispered as I rubbed her back. Whatever had happened between those two, was both Sai's fault, and unintentional as far as I could see. However he was still getting his ass kicked, I told him if Ino ever got hurt by him, or by any kind of indirect fault of his, that I would kill him. However Sai is still my friend, so therefore I have decided to leave him beaten and bloody on either Shizune's or Karin's porch...

Karin just had her porch detailed, and the steps repainted though... so Shizune's it was.

About an hour later Ino had calmed down, and we were reciting our favorite movies while drinking warm tea. And we were perfectly fine with this. She would talk when she was ready, and even if it took her a year, I would be ready to liste... "It started out like any of our normal arguments..." _**'Well shit, that was fast...'**__ 'Y'KNOW!'_ "Uh-huh.." I mumbled and nodded my head.

"That's just it, one of our normal arguments. He called me a ditsy blond, and I ignored him. I was stressing out about you coming over here today, being stressed cuz of the Uchiha bastard. And I guess he was trying to tell me something... But I wasn't paying attention. He had one of his stupid 'emotion' books in his hand, so I assumed his question was likewise going to be stupid." She explained.

"A safe assumption Ino, I would have done the same." I encouraged her to go on.

"I know right! Well anyway, I was still jumpy, cuz I knew you would be here any minute, when out of the blue he just yells at me. Like literally yelled my name! I of course, freaked out, and yelled 'WHAT'.

He just looked so mad Sakura. Well, he had my full attention then and like I said, he was mad. He yelled at me that I was a horrible listener. And then said it was no wonder people hardly talked to me, called me a bad friend, and said I was hopeless. And dumb. Sakura he called me all those things in one breath!"

I stared at Ino dumbfounded, whatever Sai had wanted to talk to her about had to have been important if he blew up that badly. But that still is no excuse for the things he said, and I should make sure to shatter his jaw when I beat him up later. "Go on Ino, take some calming breathes, then tell me what happened next." I said to her soothingly, a tone my mother used to use on me when I had a nightmare and was telling her about it.

"Well, I got so mad I just snapped at him. Told him he was a bastard, and then screamed at him to get his..."

"Worthless ass out of your house, and called him an emotionless asshole? I had already knocked on your front door twice about then." I explained.

"Well, yeah, and you know what happens from there..." She finished, and we both remained silent a few moments before she spoke up again. "Am I really a bad friend Sakura? Am I a horrible listener?" She asked, and started crying again. "Ino, No! Listen to me now. You were there for me when the bastard broke my heart, albeit in your own way. But still you were the only one that understood what I was going through, and you listened better than anyone else could have. You are a wonderful friend Ino, and I'm happy to know I have you. And you can rest assured knowing you will always have me.

Yes, I'll be going away. But I never intended to stay away for forever... well maybe. I don't know yet. UGH! My point is, all you have to do is call me, and I'll come. I'm here for you Ino."

I told her, still in that soothing tone of voice.

"Thanks Forehead... When you go looking for Sai later... don't kill him please. I'll probably eventually forgive him." Ino said, laying her head in my lap and slowly drifting off to sleep.

"You better Ino-pig. What other guy in the universe do you know of the literally runs six straight hours, and picks wild roses for his girlfriend on V-day?!" I joked. She giggled tiredly.

"You're right.. you always are..." and with that she yawned and fell asleep on her living room couch.

I left her a note saying I would be back after taking care of a few things. I met up with Itachi...and the other one. And let them both know I had more important matters of which needed my immediate attention, as I cracked my knuckles. They didn't ask any questions, and Itachi assured me he would be at the hospital by eight in the morning. I told him to use the door and I then set off in search of Sai...

Sasuke's P.O.V.

When Sakura showed up twenty minutes late to the training grounds, and looking more murderous about something than I've ever seen her before, I knew not to ask questions. I was slightly shocked to find that her anger was not (for once) directed at me. Though she didn't say who it was directed at, and like I said... not asking any questions.

I later ran into Sai on my way to Ichiraku, he asked to join me so I let him tag along. He seemed unusually on edge, and somewhat down. But mostly on edge, at every little sound he would jump a little, then look around like crazy. ~internal imaginary light bulb~

"Sai... are you by chance hiding from Sakura?" I asked to test my theory.

"Hai." he responded quickly, then everything clicked.

"Dear Kami have mercy on your soul. You broke up with Ino didn't you!" I accused coming to a stop in the middle of the street and facing him.

"Actually, it was she that broke up with me. But it was my fault, I lost my temper, and said some untrue things, and... how would Naruto put it..? screwed myself big time... and it was very... uh...not cool." Sai finished the last part scratching his head, and completely missing the fact that I was trying to warn him that...

"Well I'm glad to see you know exactly why your getting your ass kicked Sai." came the sickeningly sweet voice of Sakura whom was standing behind Sai full ass kicking geared up, and aiming to kill. "It was nice to have met you Sasuke." Sai said, accepting his fate. I smirked,

"Likewise Sai." I then took cover a few meters from them, and watched as well as eaves dropped.

"So Sai-kun... you thought you could escape me by hiding with the Bastard Uchiha? Isn't it just a shame that I know you so well?" She taunted him while putting on her fighting gloves.

"Sakura may I defend myself?" Sai asked, obviously sweating bullets.

"From my fists sure, but I already know what happened. You needn't worry about Ino twisting the story, she told the whole truth, and although yes she should have been paying more attention to what you were saying to her. You have no right telling her she is a horrible listener, bad friend, and dumb." Sakura's voice was so filled with malice, I was afraid of dropping dead, and she didn't even know I was in the vicinity. What was also very shocking was what Sai had said to Ino. Now that was worthy of death at the hands of the best friend.

"You should just be happy that Ino will forgive you. Because Ino loves you so much, I promised to let you live. Count your blessings Sai, just think if I had been her father." Sakura was back to using the scary sweet voice as she walked closer to Sai while speaking. Once she reached him, she pulled a chakra laden fist back, and punched Sai directly in the jaw shattering it. I heard it breaking, and it was a sickening sound.

Sai did little in the way of defending himself, if anything at all. And I could see Sakura was not enjoying beating the crap out of her friend, let alone her friend that refused to defend himself. After about a half dozen or so pulled punches (not including the first one.) Sakura knocked Sai out, and then picked him up. Faster than I could blink she materialized in front of me. Sai slung over her shoulder.

"Uchiha, do me a favor and drop this off on Shizune's front porch." Her aura all but demanded that I obey. "Hai, I'll do that right away."

"Good, and when he comes too, tell him Ino is Not real big on chocolate, and that her favorite flowers are white lilies." She instructed.

"er...Okay." I answered awkwardly as I picked up the unconscious shinobi at my feet. Sakura had already begun walking away, then as an after thought added. "And tell him she's always wanted a kitten." with that she disappeared. "Well Sai, she's right... you are blessed that Ino's dad is with Kakashi."

~Somewhere in Suna, Yamanaka Inoichi and Hatake Kakashi both sneezed~

TBC

A/N: So a little shout out peeps. Yes I am now officially a bad Author! (I cried for weeks over this fact... well this fact among other things. There have been two deaths effecting my life since I promised chapters, and a family member is in the hospital)

Anyway, a _**HUGE**_ shout out to _CherryGirl164 _for being the only fan to suggest ideas for '_Untitled'_.

I had been majorly ticked at not being able to come up with a title for it, and thanks to your suggestions I was inspired with all sorts of ideas, I was honestly about to name the story _'Badass'_ but I actually don't know if that's even allowed for a title... I'll check. Anyway, thanks to your ideas, I was inspired, and able to come up with _'Like A Boss'_ So I sincerely thank you.

Gintsuki saying...

...I'm out. PEACE!


	5. In Progress

_**In progress**_

A/N: Okay peeps, Sorry I've been overly absent... I've got several pieces of good news... and perhaps a bit a bad news... well veggies before you can have dessert, right? Okay bad first... My feelings for someone were shot down before I could even voice them... as a matter of fact I think he already new, and that's why I was shot down.

Now for the ice cream... I mean good news'. My sister's wedding was epic, I'm back to writing for a bit... and I'm not sure what category this news falls under, but the next few updates are purely to keep my mind occupied, and are completely un-inspired by anything else, so I'm winging it. On the bright side, because I'm winging it this chapter will probably be a long one. ENJOY!

_Disclaimer:_ I **DON'T** own Naruto, or Naruto Shippuden, the Anime, the Manga, the characters all belong to the sadist well known as Masashi Kishimoto. Thank you..

Sakura's P.O.V.

I arrived at the hospital extremely early the next morning knowing that Shizune would try to get here before me, and wait by the door in order to chastise me for breaking several bones in Sai's body. On the bright side, I arrived at dawn, and made sure that Shizune was still asleep in her home on my way here. Now I merely needed to kill time for four hours as I awaited Itachi to come through the window.

Three hours fifty-nine minutes later I had created Konoha out of Q~tips, cotton balls, and medicine cups.

"Keeping ourselves amused?" I heard Itachi's voice from the window, where I knew he was sitting, and had been for about fifteen minutes.

"The door?" I asked, still slightly angered from the events of yesterday.

"Is being stalked by one Very angered Medical Kunoichi, of whom I'm sure you are acquainted with." He replied, obviously glad to have an excuse. "Though I assure you I had every intention of..."

"Pretending to use the door, just so you could find an excuse to not use it, then give me falsified information about having every intention to use it?" I interrupted him.

"Precisely." he smirked

An hour later after I had mended every part of his vessel that seemed out of order, he helped me to put away everything I had used to create my mini Konoha... well actually those supplies could no longer be used on patients so we through the majority of them away.

When we were about finished with that I suddenly sensed Shizune, and Karin. Then Karin yelled, clearly the one furthest from my door.

"Shizune-senpai! I told you I don't think Sakura is in today..."

"Uchiha Itachi's name is signed in at the front desk, I'm sure she's here!" I heard Shizune's voice from the other side of the door. I quickly locked it then headed for the window.

Only to have Itachi block my way.

"Sakura... I thought we should use the door?" He attempted to play innocent. I immediately locked away my inner and turned my cold dead eyes to him.

"So help me Itachi I beat the hell out of Sai yesterday so Shizune is pissed, and I am in no mood to pay for repairs that will be needed on the hospital should I get into it with her right now. You never had any intention of using the door today. So let me pass." Itachi and I were both out the window milliseconds before Shizune got the door open.

"See Sempai..? I told you Sakura wasn't in today.." Karin stuttered out.

"If Tsunade were here Sakura wouldn't have gotten away with breaking Sai's jaw." Shizune sighed.

As Itachi and I walked to the cafe by the training grounds.. I couldn't tell you whether he saw me crying or not. But I'm sure he knew for the next words out of his mouth infuriated me beyond tears.

"I invited Sasuke to have lunch with us."

Nonchalantly, as though it were casual for Sasuke and I to be in the same place at the same time.

"_**WHAT**_!" I yelled, turning in place.

"He was going to be present the remainder of the day regardless, so I decided he should have lunch with us. He is less likely to arrive late, or to await our arrival. This way we all arrive at the same time. You can not possibly argue this... It was you that threatened he should never be late." Itachi explained.

I took several calming breathes, and distantly acknowledged Inner resigning herself to the cage for the remainder of the week.

"Alright... Lunch." I said through gritted teeth. And then we continued on our way. The walk wasn't a short one, which I believe is why Itachi told me as soon as we left the hospital. Because by the time we had reached the cafe I had mostly calmed myself, and was ready to completely ignore the other ones presence when we arrived. However this would prove to be harder than expected because when we approached the booth younger Uchiha was sitting in.. _**'Oh Kami! he smells divine!'**__ 'Now is not a good time for amazing man smells to allow you the strength to break free!' __**'But he smells so nice! you think he is wearing that cologne on purpose?' **__'I Don't KNOW!'_

"Hello Sakura, hello Aniki." He greeted. Instead of the usual 'Uchiha' I would have normally offered, I bit my lip and nodded.

"Otouto you are wearing cologne?" Itachi's statement was both blunt... and I think was meant as a question.

"Yeah... Tenten bought some for Neji on Valentines day, and when he was asking Kiba and I to check it out Kiba accidentally ended up breaking the bottle, and since I was holding it, it ended up all over me. I was able to wash most of it off. Neji had another bottle though, so Tenten shouldn't be mad. And it smells good, so I don't mind now that it isn't over powering." He explained.

_**'Oh its over powering alright. It makes us want to sit in your ..'** 'SHUT UP! I don't care how good he smells, we are NOT going to imagine being in his lap, and snuggling into his chest!'_

_**'I was going to say sit in his side of the booth so we could subtly inhale his sent without looking creepy, but I like your idea better! ^_^'**_

_'o_0? ….shit..'_

I decided then and there to throw myself off Kage mountain once Itachi was healed. We hadn't sat down yet, but out of no where Karin slid into the booth that was opposite Sasuke, and I was determined to join her, however Itachi had another idea, and quickly slid into my seat. Now anyone that knows me, knows that my patients runs thin, but I almost always manage to keep myself composed.

_**This**_ wasn't one of those times. "Itachi! I am _not_ sitting next to him. You pushed your luck getting me here, and I'm in no way going to take responsibility for any damages."

I clenched my teeth the entire time I spoke, and poor Karin looked like she would have surrendered her seat already if the eldest of Uchiha bastards hadn't been blocking her way.

"Very well Sakura.. I will not force you." Itachi replied, easily sliding out of the booth, by me, and then back in on the opposite side. I swear I blinked and he was done, had he not brushed my shoulder when he slid by I wouldn't have realized he moved until he materialized next to his brother.

"Well that was fast. I expected you to amuse yourself by pissing me off for at _least_ another five minutes." I said Sarcastically.

"We may have caused a scene had I indulged myself with angering you for my amusement. So I thought it wise to be patient and do so later on." he replied, I couldn't tell if he was also being sarcastic but he had that damn family trait smirk on his face, and it made me want to punch his brother in the face!

_**'You realize that makes little, if any sense.. right?'** 'Shut up, it makes perfect sense. We wouldn't know the smirk were a family trait had we not seen it on the other one's face constantly while growing up!'_

_**'So let me see if I got this... because the younger bastard enjoyed demoralizing us as kids, and would sport that smirk whilst doing so.. whenever the elder bastard wears that same smirk.. we should punch the younger one..? Am I the only one seeing how this doesn't make sense?'**_

_'Inner would you seriously condone punching Itachi in the face?'_

_**'Hmmm... Touche. Punch the younger Bastard! ^_^'**_

I mentally smirked at inner for finally agreeing with me.. Note to self, when Itachi smirks like a jack ass, Punch his brother. I will so enjoy training later!

_**~Training later~**_

Sasuke's P.O.V.

"Ow!... Why'd you punch me?" I asked Sakura as I rubbed my arm.

"Itachi smirked at me." She replied as though it were obvious.

"I fail to see the sense in that Sakura." Itachi interrupted.

"Thank you!" I exclaimed, having Itachi on my side. Sakura then turned to Itachi, once more pretending I didn't exist.

"Growing up, there was a hot shot, stubborn, self obsessed Uchiha in the Academy. After Academy he and I ended up on the same Genin squad. And whenever he amused himself with calling Naruto names the poor idiot didn't understand, or shoving my self esteem into the ground, he would smirk at us like that. Therefore whenever you smirk at me, or whenever that one smirks at me. I am going to punch him. Its therapeutic." She explained. Itachi merely nodded then went to the other side of the training grounds with Karin. I on the other hand was going to argue her logic.

"That isn't fair." I stated coldly.

"Life isn't fair." she retorted, then took the stance for the two of us to go through the first several movement of the jutsu we would be using to restore Itachi.

I began with her, but continued the argument. "Your logic is faulty. Why should I be hit for Itachi's facial expressions? He's only got like... three." I could tell she was trying not to laugh.

"I have six actually."

We heard Itachi call across the training area. That time she did laugh slightly, then caught herself, and regained her composer.

"Well of those six facial expressions the two of you have one in common, and it happens to be the most annoying, and also triggers painful memories, therefore whenever that facial expression is directed at me, I will punch you. Any further complaints, and I'll punch you twice, with chakra, whenever I see it." She said, ending the discussion. I smirked in amusement.  
>"Ow! You just punched me again!" I said as I picked myself up from the unexpected blow. It wasn't an extremely powerful one, just that it was unforeseen.<p>

"You smirked." She stated as way of explanation.

I shrugged it off, and we continued through the movements.

The next two days were much the same. Except Itachi and Sakura did his exams in the afternoons now so that we could all meet at the training grounds every morning.

Same as today, save for Sakura and I were now into the third set of movements for the jutsu. We would start with the first set, and from there we went into the simpler, second set. Then straight into the third set. Sakura said this would ensure we memorized them all in order. Unlike if we just practiced the first for two days, then so on and so on. Somehow Itachi had gotten Sakura to agree to all four of us having lunch every practice day. And I had made sure to thank Neji for the cologne he gave to me. Today was the second time I was wearing it to practice. And when Sakura looked as though she were torn between asking about it, and being suspicious of it, Itachi had asked why I was wearing cologne again. This time I simply stated that because I liked the scent, Neji had told me where I could purchase some, and I had tried some on to make sure it was the correct one.

Itachi of course then commented about wondering why I had left the house so early that morning.

Now I'm not stupid. I know my brother is trying to fix mine and Sakura's bond, why else would he insist I wear the cologne today, then make up some lie for her benefit? He's using methods I would have expected Kakashi or Naruto to use though, and that surprised me. Then again... Sakura and Kakashi aren't speaking to each other. And Naruto only gets to talk to her on the few occasions she meets him for ramen. The man has a wife he spends all his time with her now. Which would explain why Itachi had taken things into his own hands...

My train of thought was interrupted when I was suddenly punched in the arm.

"Itachi smirked in our general direction.." Sakura stated when I looked at her questioningly.

"I figured." I said as a way of reply. And we started the motions over.

_**'For crying out loud bro! Start a conversation!'** 'Like what?!' **'Right, cuz I would know. Say anything!'**_ I mentally glared at my inner.

"So... your Birthday is next month right?" I said awkwardly. She froze for a millisecond, but it was long enough to throw off our timing, and she sighed in exasperation.

"Let's start over!" She said irritated. This was the fourth time we had to start over. Granted the first two were my fault, but these two were hers. So I wasn't getting punched!

"The twenty-eighth right?" I tried again.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" She replied evenly. "Wait lemme guess, Naruto told you."

"Actually I remember from that time you invited me to your thirteenth Birthday party." She almost messed up again, I could see the shock plainly in her eyes. The Eyes of the Sakura I knew.

"That was over nine years ago. I don't celebrate my birthday anymore." She said simply, trying to maintain her composer.

"All the same, I owe you so I would like to get you something... if that's alright?" I spoke the question slowly.. hoping that if I sounded uncertain she would allow it. She ended our session right then by standing quickly.

"Look Uchiha do what you want. You don't owe me, and I wont be here to receive it anyway." with that said she walked away towards Karin and Itachi, she stopped and spoke to them for a few seconds, then left in a poof of smoke.

Shortly after Itachi returned from meeting Sakura at the hospital later on, he came to my room.

"What on earth did you say to Sakura, Otouto? Her chakra was rather irregular today.." Itachi said after seating himself at my desk.

"I told her I remembered her Birthday..." I replied to his inquiry.

"That is hardly a reason to call training early and leave for Yamanaka's." Itachi observed.

"I may have also mentioned that Naruto didn't remind me.. I remembered from when she told me nine years ago." I explained further.

"Intriguing." Was all my brother said before vanishing out my door.

Sakura's P.O.V.

I was slightly... okay ridiculously shocked to find out that he remembered my birthday nine years from the one time the piece of information was given to him. When Hinata or Ino STILL have to remind Naruto. I mean Rock Lee remembering I understand. But this was _**Uchiha**_ we were talking about.

I relayed the details to Ino immediately after Itachi and my appointment at the Hospital was finished.

"REALLY?! I mean I understand Rock Lee remembering from then, he's still going on about youth loving yada yada at your doorstep every year. But _**Sasuke?!**_" Ino freaked while petting her tiny white kitten... one Sai had gotten her after their almost breakup.

"Y'KNOW!" I said back.. then we both realized her only mistake in that little freak session. I glared and she fixed her statement.

"er... I mean the younger Uchiha bastard?" she asked uncertainly, I nodded my approval. "Anyway... that bitch be loaded, what did you tell him you wanted?" She asked enthusiastically. I smirked evilly.

" I told him he didn't owe me anything, and to do whatever he wanted because I wouldn't be here to receive it. So when he does bring it to you at my house. Don't tell me what it is. Just throw it away. Unless of course you want it. Then you can have it." I explained.

"Wow Sakura... try harsh?" she said, looking slightly disappointed by my reply.

"I don't give a damn. I still think the Bastard should di..."

"Oh just STOP it!" Ino yelled standing quickly with her hands fist-ed beside her. The small white kitten simply jumped onto the couch beside Ino, apparently undisturbed at being dropped onto the floor.

"Look Sakura I've been here for you from the beginning and yeah, at one point I agreed that Sasuke... That's right I said Sasuke! Sasuke! Sasuke! _SASUKE! _At one point I agreed with you that he was a asshole-ish demon spawn that should have been sent back to the fiery pit from whence he came, but KAMI! Girl I know you Love him! Why do you still pretend you hate him, and bury your feelings. He's a better person now!" She screamed all of this at me, and no sooner had the last sentence left her mouth, than she suddenly looked guilty. I locked Inner away as I calmly stood and narrowed my empty eyes onto Ino.

"You talked with him, didn't you?" I asked her, still calmly, though even I could feel the ice in my voice.

"Okay to be fair Sai talked with him, then against my wishes invited him to have dinner with us.. and he sorta kinda... maybe slightly …...probably convinced me to forgive him..?" she said frightened. As well she should have been, because my neutral look turned into a deadly glare as I spoke to my best friend.

"The man has lived a decade as a double agent, being able to convince everyone he's crossed to believe what he says about himself. Both the innocent that he left behind when he betrayed them, and the evil he eventually betrayed by stabbing them all in the back.. some even literally. So with knowing he possessed these skills, you still let him convince you to forgive, and befriend him, my only enemy?" I asked slowly, making sure my point got across. Whilst Ino was stuttering and mumbling something or other about not technically saying they were _friends_. I noted the presence of Sai behind me, as he entered through the front door.

"Sai help!" Ino whined desperately. Sai scratched his head, as he quickly understood what it was that Ino and I were discussing when I turned my glare onto him.

"Umm... We're engaged!" Sai stated quickly. My eyes widened in shock, and I turned to Ino for confirmation. She smiled and nodded, I pretended to no longer be angry as I hugged her and wished them both congratulations.

"Well where is it? Show me the ring?!" I said mock enthusiastically, to sell my act. Ino squealed with glee and ran to her room, dragging me behind her. Although I'm still pretty fucking pissed, I have to admit that this rock is _Awesome!_ Shortly after Ino and I finished fawning over her engagement ring, I excused myself and wished them both good night, and told them congratulations again. Ino also made me swear to not to tell anyone until Sai got permission from Inoichi at the end of the week.

About an hour later I found myself at the memorial stone. It felt kind of nostalgic, I would normally run into Kakashi-sens...Kakashi when I came here to visit my parents. Tonight however I was here to visit my Shishou.

"Hi Shishou... I know you're probably real disappointed in me right now... In the past week I nearly assaulted a patient.. I made my best friend feel as though I had abandoned her... and I beat Sai half to death... Only half because the Baka refused to defend himself! ...

"I know... that's not funny. I wish you were here Shishou... and Otou-san, and Okaa-san too... I can't even face their graves right now... knowing how much of a disappointment I must be to them.. I have the skills and knowledge of a Sannin... and yet I'm at odds with Kakashi.. my Hokage, I hardly speak to Naruto... my brother in all but blood... and I've been threatened with charges of treason.. all because I'm stubborn.

" I guess in the long run Naruto was right. I never would have forgiven myself had I let the Uchiha die... but Shishou I can't bare to live with him when it hurts this much. I know you saw me Shishou... you saw me cry during his operation. I screamed at him not to leave me.. and here I am.. counting down the days until I can leave my home, and be rid of him forever. Oh Tsunade I don't know what to do with myself! I really wish you were here to help.. hit me over the head and tell me to stop acting like a child. And then you'd tell me exactly what I should do... but you're not here... a-and I c-c-couldn't save you..."

I left the memorial stone, and transported myself home. I didn't want anyone to see me crying.

Normal P.O.V.

A Shadow emerged from the trees near the memorial stone of Konoha. A smirk graced the figures lips as he walked to the stone and laid some flowers in front of it. The figure remained silent for several moments as he processed this new information. Haruno Sakura had cried during the surgery... and had even screamed for Sasuke not to leave her..

An evil grin now graced the lips of the dark figure as he spoke to the diseased.

"Well this is certainly some interesting information I've acquired... No doubt if you were here you would agree with me. Right Shisui?" he asked to the stone, before he chuckled and began to walk home. After all... Dr. Sakura insisted he not strain his vessel with any serious Jutsu, and teleportation was very complex.

"Complex indeed." he smirked to himself.

Meanwhile in two very different areas of Konoha a pink haired medic, and a raven haired ex-double agent simultaneously shuddered with the sense of impending doom.

_**TO BE CONTINUED!**_

A/N: Well I hope you all enjoyed this... I completely ran out of steam for this chapter.. However I have acquired several ideas for the NEXT chapter... just hope I remember to write them down, or I shall lose this wonderful idea, and you shall all have to wait until I find an equally good idea to replace it...

But hey... I _MIGHT_ remember to write it down. ~smirk~

_**PLEASE REVIEW!**_


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